Prince Harry appears to become a markedly different person whenever he sets foot back in the UK, according to a royal expert who has closely watched him during his recent visits.
The Duke of Sussex has made a striking return to Britain alongside his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, after the family spent six years living in the United States.
Expert observes a noticeable change
According to Roya Nikkhah, chief royal correspondent of The Sunday Times, there is something particularly noticeable about Harry each time he arrives back on home soil.
Speaking on The Royals with Roya and Kate podcast, Rosamund Urwin, chief news correspondent of The Sunday Times, suggested that Harry may have grown restless after nearly seven years away from the UK. Roya concurred, saying: "He was. Yeah. He has looked much happier, as you touched on earlier, every time he comes back."
She highlighted Harry's latest visit, which took place during an especially challenging week for the Duke, the Express reports.
A challenging week turns around
He had just delivered a speech about the Invictus Games at Chatham House when a judgment was handed down in his legal battle with Associated Newspapers Limited, with Harry losing his claims against the publisher.
There was also a very public row involving Buckingham Palace concerning whether he would be accommodated at a royal residence while in the country.
Yet, Roya observed that Harry's mood appeared to shift as the visit wore on.
"But then, at the end of the week, he sort of pulled it back up and was on great form, doing his stuff," she said. Harry was spotted participating in Invictus-related activities in Birmingham and later attended an event for Scotty's Little Soldiers.
Roya described watching him doing yoga with children and said he was "basically in his element".
The Duke later reunited with his father, King Charles, and his children, after the monarch had gone more than four years without seeing his grandchildren.
"So, however difficult things get for him, when he is back on home soil these days, he just does look a lot happier," Roya added.
Extended stay in the UK
The remarks come as Harry and Meghan embark on what is anticipated to be an extended stay in the UK with Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five.
The family touched down at Birmingham Airport on Wednesday following their journey from California aboard a private aircraft. A spokesperson for the couple declined to comment on their travel arrangements, citing privacy and security concerns.
The spokesperson said: "This is not something we would comment on."
The couple's chickens are understood to be staying at their Montecito residence, while their dogs Mia and Pula have accompanied them on the trip.
Archie and Lilibet have already been registered at British schools in preparation for the new academic year, while the family are believed to be weighing up a relocation to the Cotswolds.
Harry and Meghan stepped back as senior working royals in 2020 and later moved to the US, where they have spoken openly about their experiences within the Royal Family. Despite their return, the pair are not anticipated to take up official royal duties once more.
The Sussexes have not yet offered a public explanation for their decision to return to the UK.
